The Joffrey Ballet premiered UK choreographers Andrew McNicol, Liam Scarlett and Andrea Walker’s exquisite works of art in the Auditorium Theatre on April 24th. “Yonder Blue” (McNicol), “Vespertine” (Scarlett) and “Home” (Walker) equally showed the struggles and love stories of people from all walks of life.

Victoria Jaiani paired up with dancers Rory Hohenstein and Alberto Velazquez for “Yonder Blue” and “Vespertine”. The sexy chemistry was undeniable when she danced with her partner in each piece. The entire ensemble in both performances accomplished their mission with seamless moves. All the dancers were perfectly synchronized. You could feel the emotional yearning between people and their need for the environment around them in Yonder Blue, while “Vespertine” mixed elegance of the classic Baroque era with the modern-day.

Fernando Duarte and ensemble_Photo by Cheryl Mann (Home)

Fernando Duarte and Fabrice Calmels introduced a passionate love in the immigrant inspired “Home”. The group of dancers around them seem to illustrate the cold and mundane world of conformity. The main couple stood out as a pillar among the citizens unaware of their existence. Fernando Duarte expertly portrayed an immigrant unable to fit in with native American citizens. Fabrice Calmels portrayed the doting boyfriend full of care and compassion for Fernando.

The pros and cons of “Across The Pond” are simple. The pros are the music, outfits and graceful dancing. The dancers deserve all the praise for their hard work and dedication. The choreographers need to be applauded for their work as well. The only con I can state is the intense romance on-stage. I still feel it would be best to shy away from passionate love scenes of any kind. “Across The Pond” felt like it was more appropriate for adults rather than children, and I would love for every single one of the performances to be enjoyed by all ages.

“Across The Pond” will run through May 5, 2019 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, IL.

*A Special Thanks to The Silverman Group and The Joffrey Ballet for the press passes*